The approval came nearly one year to the day after Pokerstars became the first operator into the nascent Pennsylvania online poker market, and gives a clue to 888Casino’s grand expansion deeper into the United States. In doing so, 888Casino beat WSOP.com to market in the Keystone State and has shown it has the expertise to negotiate successfully with U.S. gaming regulators.
U.S. Market 888Casino’s ‘Top Priority’
Clearly then, 888Casino has taken a look at rate of growth present in the U.S. online casino and sports betting market and like what it sees. According to comments from the 888 Chief Executive Office, Itai Panzer, 888 sees the United States as the company’s priority for the next 5 years during a recent webcast on the state of the group’s finances;
“We are pleased with our continued progress in the U.S. where revenue increased by 90% year-on-year reflecting the Group’s outstanding B2C growth in New Jersey as well as strong performances from our B2B partners”.
Even 888 CEO Panzer acknowledged that the company has benefitted that from the land-based casino closures brought on by the global pandemic;
“We’re now seeing a return to what we call a ‘higher normal level’ in poker, so it’s not as high as it was in the peak but it’s definitely higher than it was before the lockdown period. We think that there is future potential in growth in poker” Panzer explained.
3 or 4 New U.S. Markets Coming Soon for 888
Clearly, West Virginia with its established legal online casinos industry in full swing will be a target for 888Casino, in addition to soon-to-be-launched as legal, Michigan. There may well be one or two other markets considering legal online casino gaming soon in 888’s sights. In addition to already legal sports betting markets like Indiana, Colorado, Tennessee, newly legalized online sports betting states to come like Michigan, Virginia and Maryland could also well come under the 888Sports sportsbook microscope.
As a part of the 888 expansion plans, 888 is looking at upgrading its current selection of products. In particular, CEO Panzer nodded towards Poker 8, one of 888’s next generation poker gaming formats being added into their range of game selections in the United States after proving a hit elsewhere around the world;
“Poker 8 is our answer to the changing consumer demands in the mobile world. Its portrait mode – you can play poker in one hand in poker – you can swipe between tables; you have cool gaming-type avatars and images … basically it’s everything that a millennial recreational poker player would be looking for and expecting from a leading online poker product” Panzer explained enthusiastically.
The 888 online poker app version has been redesigned to ensure that the lobby is now presented in portrait view. It’s a simple thing, however, it importantly makes side-swiping interface history and games are now presented in a grid format, which players can scroll through vertically, a simpler and user-friendly experience.
New Jersey’s players can now choose from pre-defined stake ranges and begin a game immediately rather than having to use sliders to set their game type and stake range before beginning the action.
It’s all about streamlining the player’s experience and by adding the feature of allowing players to check upcoming tournaments with a range of new filters to help personalize their game time.
